ARTIFEX is an ERASMUS+ project designed to establish a practical European framework for STEM education in innovative out-of-the-classroom learning environments such as Fablabs or Makerspaces. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, thus incorporating science, technology and mathematics. A Fablab or Makerspace is a small-scale workplace where you can manufacture products using modern technologies such as 3D printers and laser cutters.

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OUTPUTS

ARTIFEX-project will produce five outputs, an open learning platform (output 6) and an ARTIFEX conference. The open access to all the educational resources (output 1 to 5) developed during the project is assured by the way according to which the integrated outcomes (or single outcomes) will be presented. As a matter of fact, the idea is to deliver all contents via an open learning platform for teachers, teacher trainers and STEM educators, giving them not only access to the outcomes of the project but also offering them the opportunity to choose for a STEM education that is truly adapted to their specific needs.

OUTPUT 1: ARTIFEX book – STEM literacy and education in Fablabs or Makerspaces.

An electronic BOOK that will focus on (1) the required STEM literacy of workers in the contemporary labor market, and (2) the STEM education competences of teachers and (FabLab) educators. The publication will, as such, function as a vision document that illustrates the philosophy of ARTIFEX, the problems/challenges from which it departs, and the answers it provides to answer them. There are three main parts in the book.

In the first part of the ARTIFEX BOOK, we will present 15 diverse STEM professions from across Europe and focus on the competences required for successful careers in these sectors. Each case will be used to zoom in a specific (set of) competence(s). The second part of the ARTIFEX BOOK details the STEM education competences needed by teachers and educators to build the STEM literacy of learners in the context of a FabLab or makerspace. Thus relating demands of the 21st century labor market with the needs of the schools. In a third part we provide some strategies to bring together schools, out of school programs, businesses, institutions of higher education and STEM-rich institutions, based on the experiences of the four national learning networks.

Lead: EDUBRON – University of Antwerp

OUTPUT 2: Self-Assessment Tool for STEM education competences

A self-assessment tool that teachers, fablab educators and teacher trainers (and train-the-trainers) can use to scan their STEM education competences. The will be based on an review of recent literature regarding effective education in innovative learning spaces such as FabLabs, and will visualize the STEM education competences of the user. By making these competences, and the level to which the user of tool masters them, explicit, issues for professional development can be identified. The results of the self-assessment will be presented to the user in an easy to interpret and visual format. The tool will as such be a free to use online application that can be used to identify priorities in teachers’ and educators’ professional development. Those needs can then be addressed using the CPD (output 4). The ARTIFEX self-assessment tool should thus be considered as an instrument that will render the modular CPD into a targeted tool: based on the results of the self-assessment, teachers, and teacher trainers and educators will be able to select those units that are most relevant or of highest priority for the professional development. Specific parts of the self-assessment tool will thus be linked to specific parts of the modular CPD program.

Lead: EDUBRON – University of Antwerp

OUTPUT 3: eScan – STEM education competences

The eSCAN will present an overview and state of the art of the STEM education competences of teachers and educators. This will be done in the form of a report on the results of a European survey focusing on these competences. The report will show which competence are mastered and which still present a challenge.

The information from the survey will be used to feed the ARTIFEX BOOK (output 1), to identify priorities in the teacher professional development initiative (CPD, output 4), as well as to develop the self-assessment tool (output 2).

Lead: KARLSTADS UNIVERSITET

OUTPUT 4: CPD – Teacher’s continuing professional development

An online innovative and freely available professional development training course with training modules (with a minimum of 15 training modules) for teacher trainers or train-the-trainers who want to improve the STEM education competences of their target audience (teachers and FabLab educators). Combined with the results of the self-assessment tools (output 2) teacher trainers will be able to select the modules that are applicable to their target audience. These modules will consist of concrete recommendations and user-scenarios for teacher educators and will be accompanied with advice as to how these materials can be used for workshops to sensitize and improve STEM education competences. These training modules will consist of both hands-on and reflection moments building on teachers’ own experiences and the good practices developed within this project (output 5).

The training modules will be developed following the methodology of educational design research (EDR).

LEAD: QUEST – ARTEVELDE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE GHENT

OUTPUT 5: Repository of good practices

This repository will consist of at least 20 good practices developed at the schools of four of the partner institutions. These Educational good practices will be developed through action research by the facilitators (teachers and educators) at FabLabs in co-creation with teacher trainers and other relevant stakeholders. The materials developed through this process will be relevant to and applicable by other facilitators at FabLabs. The good practices will be linked to the STEM education competences which the facilitator needs to perform. These good practices will be described (aims, materials, resources, target audience, role and competences of the facilitator…) and will be supported with different media (video, pictures, …) exemplifying not only the result (the good practice) but also the personal reflections of the facilitator during the different stages of the action research. Because the good practices are created through action research, we will also include a guide for action research to facilitate FabLabs and schools in the innovation of their educational approach. This guide for action research combined with the resulting good practices will inspire other facilitators in FabLabs and schools to start their own action research and improve their own competences through self-reflection and try-outs.

LEAD: ELLINOGERMANIKI AGOGI

OUTPUT 6: Open e-learning platform

The ultimate outcome of ARTIFEX will be an e-learning platform. This platform stands apart from the open website we will create following the European instructions.

The e-learning platform will integrate (interactively) the different intellectual outcomes (see description of the other outputs). Ultimately, this is no more or less than a self-assessment or self-training tool for schools, teacher trainers, Fablab educational employees or educational researchers. It opens the possibility to create a learning plan adapted to the specific needs of the learning environment.
All ARTIFEX’s outputs are interrelated – e.g. depending on the self-assessment tool (output 2) which modules will we use (output 4), which good practices can inspire us (output 5)… It is not the intention to make interactivity too sophisticated, but emphasis will be laid on the educational interaction between the different parts.

The open access to all the educational resources developed during the project is assured by the way according to which the outcomes will be delivered. Due to this choice, didactic materials, documents and media produced, will be made available to a broader public under Creative Commons license, and – to allow broader intake – will be registered via the EU Open Education Portal (http://www.openeducationeuropa.eu/).

Lead: National Training Centre, Adam Smith College of Management

Multiplier event – ARTIFEX conference

A multiplier event will be created at the end of project year 2 in Czech Republic

This multiplier event will allow the project to assess all findings on a more international level, particularly adopting the intellectual outputs to the specifics of education in different European countries. This is crucial for the project since what fits in one country does not necessarily in another.

Present will be representatives from schools, FabLaps and makerspaces, teacher trainers and researchers next to stakeholders extern on the project.

A methodology and program will be developed by Euroface consulting.

The results of this multiplier event will be entirely integrated in the ARTIFEX learning platform.

Lead: Euroface Consulting

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The ARTIFEX Project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.